Are millions of years of evolution keeping you from taking your pet snake for a walk?

  • Awoo [she/her]
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    edit-2
    2 years ago

    That garage snake farm doesn't seem particularly nice for the snakes, they live tiny drawers?

    Anyway this was cool but that was :soviet-hmm:

    • hexaflexagonbear [he/him]
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      2 years ago

      I think the thing about being a snake guy is most people know so little about snakes that you can treat them in the most insane fashion and be like "nah trust me they actually like it".

      • Awoo [she/her]
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        2 years ago

        It's honestly kinda hard to tell with them too. I just naturally think more space is probably preferable and the drawers look a little uhh, small?

        • hexaflexagonbear [he/him]
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          2 years ago

          It probably does vary by species. I know some dogs feel more secure in tight spaces. My dog used to sleep in the bathroom drawer as a puppy, lol. I could totally see snakes preferring being bunched up in a tight space, but also I could see people doing that out of laziness and saying that it's a species preference

      • AcidSmiley [she/her]
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        2 years ago

        Keeping snakes in rack drawers is very common in the US, as it is the most efficient way to house them, both as far as cost for the setup and ease of maintainance goes. It's very easy to keep that type of enclosure clean and at the proper temperature gradient and humidity. People who do this also argue that their snakes are cryptic animals that do not move around much and like to hide in confined, dark quarters anyway and that we shouldn't project human perceptions of what's an appropriate enclosure on an animal with entirely different needs, which ... isn't exactly wrong, but completely disregards that there's highly active and curious snake species, that there's arboreal snakes, that even terrestrial species will eagerly climb from time to time and that mostly living in underground burrows doesn't mean the snake never goes outside to explore. Yes, many snakes will be stressed out if you keep them in open spaces, they'll only be inside their hidebox and never out in the open when you put them in a giant, empty terrarium. But that's an entirely different issue when you put them in a giant terrarium full of plants, hollow tree stumps, leaf litter piles and climbing branches. Some of the more inquisitive species like boas will even push against the terrarium doors when they want to be left out and crawl around in your living room. They do not want to spend their entire life in a drawer even if they're generally chill mfers who only eat once a month and move accordingly little.

        It's a contentious topic, and i'm personally against keeping snakes in this way. I couldn't bring myself to house an animal like this and i absolutely think that when you have so many snakes that you need to keep them like this to keep them all clean, you have way too many snakes. Bigger is always better when it comes to aquariums and terrariums. When you keep pets that need a special environment in a box to live inside your house, you should make sure it's the largest box you can afford and that the animal is able to show its full range of natural behaviors in there and doesn't become bored. That's actually much less effort for most snakes than for other animals their size, it's for example possible to keep a 2 meter long snake in a terrarium that fits in a one bedroom appartment, while the same is rather difficult with a 2 meter long lizard, at least if you also want to live in that appartment. But even for such sedentary animals that like to just chill as much as snakes, there's limits to how you can house them.

      • Awoo [she/her]
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        edit-2
        2 years ago

        Is that because it's ok though or is it because nobody cares about how the snakes are treated?

        I'm not a snake expert obviously but it seems pretty grim living life in a tiny box that's basically the size of your entire body.

        • doublepepperoni [none/use name]
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          2 years ago

          I assume if you're just some dude breeding dozens or hundreds snakes for sale in the pet reptile market in your garage battery farming is the most cost effective option

    • Soap_Owl [any]
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      edit-2
      2 years ago

      They live in tiny holes in the ground normally. So long as you keep them cool they can just doze. Being cold blooded they don't have the same desire to roam about as mamals do. That being said they do have some hunting instinct so you'd have to play it by ear what actually makes them happy. I would imagine that would be fine for short/medium term for most species. Especially the ones that domestic. Like climbing snakes probably not. But corn snakes probably feel more comfortable like that than out in the open.

      • Awoo [she/her]
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        2 years ago

        These are interesting points snake person!

        • Soap_Owl [any]
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          edit-2
          2 years ago

          Ty <3. I have made the aquantance of a snake recently and I am working to understand her needs and personality and it is kinda wild. Like, their entire body is a hand. I am 100% sure a snake could use a hammer if it wanted. So far she is happier under the dirt and when I take her out to help clean the cage she always bites me a few times. Then she looks offened and maybe pouts when she realizing that biting me doesn't get what she wants. I am still workinf on figuring out her body language

          • Awoo [she/her]
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            2 years ago

            There isn't much body language to work with!